Hmm. You know, I don't think Godzilla is really into little knit tops this season.

Once I finished that particular slice of humble pie (oooo, tasty!), I cranked up the Carrie Underwood and started pulling out all five inches of the Godzilla top. ("I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up 4 wheel drive..") Whoo-HOO!

After a day or two of letting the yarn sit in the corner and think about its bad self, I cast on the proper number of stitches for my size (and re-counted twice, just to be sure).

As I worked the first round, I considered The Big Question: Would I follow the pattern as written this time, or would I go ahead and add a wee lace border to the hem, as I had done previously?

I meekly did an entire two rounds–560 entire stitches!–strictly according to the pattern. While knitting, however, I noticed that one part of my brain was off somewhere else, gleefully dividing the stitch count into manageable chunks and inventing a pretty lace pattern that would compliment the lace heart "tattoo" on the back.

Apparently, my fingers and needles have minds of their own. Before I knew it, I was several repeats in to my pretty little lace pattern, and that, as they say, was that.

I have been asked this question many times: Sandi, why on earth do you always have to change the pattern?

Let's look at some reasons I might modify a perfectly lovely pattern…

1. I can't help it.You know how there are some folks who can never follow a recipe exactly as written? I'm one of those folks. Even if it's a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe, I'm in there adding cinnamon one time, ginger the next, substituting this for that… Even the very first time I make a recipe, I make changes. Can't be helped. Nature of the beast.

2. Normal alterations (a.k.a.: Tailoring-to-fit).Let's face it: Most sweaters are not designed for women of my shape and size. I have to alter them just to get the finished project to fit and look great on me. Thus, the changes I am making are necessary changes sometimes, rather than whimsical.

3. CuriosityDeep down, I'm wonderer. I am constantly wondering what would happen if I knit it this way, or that way. Sometimes I use a basic sweater pattern as a laboratory to find out What Happens When I Do This. I knit, I learn.

4. Patterns as guidesThere are times I love everything about a sweater…except for this or that or this. I love it except for the collar. Or the sleeves. Or the stitch pattern. So I use the published pattern as a template, as a starting place, and go from there, knitting the sweater I see in my mind instead of just the one I see in the photo.

5. Teaching toolYou may have noticed that I love to teach knitting. (Yes, I do.) And you may have noticed that I love to write about knitting techniques. The best way to teach and write about knitting is to use real-life examples, actual sweaters-in-progress. So, if I'm planning what to write about for the next few weeks, and I see that I haven't yet written about how to do a steek, for example, I might just take the very sweater I am knitting and create a steek where there wasn't one before, so I can show you folks how to do a steek in a real sweater.

Have I ever knit a sweater exactly as written? Yes, of course. I'm just like anyone else: Sometimes I want EXACTLY the sweater in the photo, that precise style and yarn. Barring a few teensy modifications for fit, I zoom away into the instructions, and end up with That Very Sweater.

How about you? Do you knit as writ, or do you fiddle with the pattern?Chime in, leave a comment; because I'd sure like to see if I'm the only crazy person here or not.

Now that the lacy hem is done, I promise I am knitting the rest of this top exactly as written. (Except: I am adding sleevettes. Sorrryyyy.)